Improvement in driving well-tubes



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALVIN SHEPARD, OF KATTELVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DRIVING WELL-TUBES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,623, dated July 24,1866.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CALVIN SHEPARD, ofKattelville, Broome county, State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Driving` fell-Tubes; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l represents a well-tube andtheapparatus for driving or sinking it. Fig. 2 is a cross-section above theplatform D.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide more efcient and speedy meansfor driving or sinking well-tubes than have been known or used hitherto.

The invention is applicable to wells which are made by sinking a tubedown to the place of water and using such tube afterward as a pump-tube.

The invention dispenses 'with the use of sledges and similar appliancesfor driving the tube, a heavy weight being used instead, in connectionwith a rotary motion given to the tube, which is provided with asuitable point for penetrating the ground.

The letter A designates a well-tube, which is to be sunk into the groundto the place of a vein or natural reservoir of water. Its lower part ismade square and fits loosely upon the shank of a pointed piece, B, theend of said tube resting on the shoulder G of the piece B, which at thatpart is of greater diameter than the tube it supports. Said piece B is-foursided; but its sides converge to a common point, leaving four rightangles and four straight sides. The upper part of the tube has a solidhead, a iiange, F, which supports lever C, and a collar, E, from whichis suspended by chains a platform, D, that is loaded with such weightsas it is desired to use in sinking the tube. rIhe upper part of the tubeis provided with a lever wherewith to give rotary motion to the tube insinking it into the ground.

That part of the tube to which the lever G is applied is connected tothe lower part by a joint below the flange F, so Athat a section may beadded as the lower part sinks into the ground. The platform D and collarE are both fitted loosely to the tube.

In operating the apparatus` the pointed piece B is set in the ground,and the tube be' ing held upright the platform is loaded with a ton inweight, inore or less, and the tube is turned by means of the lever G.As the tube is turned it carries round with it the foursided pointedpiece B, whose angles tear up the ground they come in contact with whilethe point is continually driven into the ground by the pressure of theweight above, thereby' preparing the way for the tube A, which settlesdown with it. It advances thus until a proper depth is reached. A trialcan be always easily made to ascertain if water has been reached bylifting the tube a little off the shoulder G of the point, so as toallow room for the water, if any, to rise in the tube. The tube is notlifted so high as to disconnect it from the point, and they may be soconnected as to allow motion upon each other. When water has beenreached the tube may be raised and secured at a proper height above thepoint, or they may be both withdrawn (in case the tube and pointl arefastened to each other) anda pumptube introduced into the opening.

The rotary motion given to the angular point is well calculated todisplace stones and dirt and allow the point and the .tube to be sunkenby the weight above.

My invention saves the tube from injury and obviates the danger whichits joints are liable to receive from the use of a sledge, as

in. the common mode of driving tubes for this purpose.

Tubes can be readily and easily sunk by my method in buildings andplaces where there is not room to use a sledge with effect.

It will be observed that the operation is conducted somewhat upon thesame principle of the advance of a carpenters rotating boring-tool inoperating on wood.

I claim as new and desire to ,secure by Letters Patentl. The combinationof the tube A, con structed as described, with the flange F, the collarE, and platform D, suspended therefrom, all arranged and operating inthe manner and for the purpose herein specied and shown.

2. The platform D, supported on the ange F, as shown, in combinationwith the welln tube, substantially as described.

' CALVIN SHEPABD.

Witnesses-r MoYAN L. BARNES, WM. H. GRAMrToN.

